Altering school uniforms?

For my kid’s school we have to purchase the uniforms, and leaving aside the nasty fabric which I am hoping has some magical stain repellent properties to make up for the texture, there is the fit issue. She is nearly 4 and is wearing the size 3 (smallest size) and wow, am I super spoiled from custom clothes? Do all store bought clothes fit like burlap sacks? Is it crazy to want to have them altered? It weirdly bugs me to spend $500+ on clothes that make her look like a danged hobo.

Not crazy at all! You have a right as a paying parent to send your daughter to school in clothes that are comfortable and above all safe for the things she will do there. The school has the responsibility to provide uniforms that fit if they deem that uniforms are a must.

To pay through the nose for uniforms that don’t fit is ludicrous. I hope they provide a great altering service for that price.

Sarvi, I had to buy my daughter’s school dresses in a size bigger to what she normally wears because of her height. But that doesnt mean to say it is proportionate to her height. The other girls have hems to or just above the knee. Imogen’s dresses fall mid calf! If I were to stick her into the 12 it would be too tight and she would not get next year’s wear out of it aswell. What’s more is that should I ever need to go the next size up (which I sincerely doubt) I’d have to pay $8 more!

You know what I would do, talk to the person in charge, state your case and get them to help you figure it out at no extra cost. Hopefully they will realise that their form of clothing doesn’t fit everyone.

I understand completely. When my daughter started in K she was tiny and the smallest size for the uniform was a large bulky looking 4. I re-hemmed the jumpers and also raised the waists by folding up the waist up and over a pleat (sewing like a tuck behind the waist band). I did this for both types of jumpers, one was a drop waist the other a jumper that had a waistband with a bib type top. I also slit the inside backs at the sides of the waistbands and inserted elastic to pull them in a bit. The only good thing was that I had essentially made growth tucks and I could let them out in spring when she had grown a size. When she got to junior high grades she did what girls have always done when they have to wear a uniform skirt: she rolled up the waist band and quickly unrolled it for religion class, knowing the nun would have not approved. I remember doing the very same thing back in the day. Her old grammar school now has uniforms that look more user friendly. consisting of navy sweat pants for gym days with solid rugby style white tee shirts, and then plain navy or khaki skirts for girls with white blouses and navy or khaki slacks for boys with white dress shirts for older boys, blue for little boys (all boys still wear ties)with navy cardigans . They still have regulation shoes as well. Sarvi: perhaps you can ask that the powers to be at your schools reconsider the particular uniforms they are using. When solid colors and traditional styles are allowed then parents can go to any number of retail outlets or sew their child’s own uniforms. I’ll bet many parents would agree with your request.

It can’t hurt to ask, but I am not sanguine of my chances. They’ve had the same uniform since the school opened and everything is screen printed with logos, so it’s not even a question of sewing on a patch. I guess on the plus side, everybody is in the same boat. I’m just shocked at how much it bugs me! After the first wash, though, I see why they use these fabrics. Right out of the dryer and onto a hanger. Zero care required. They creep me out so much!

Brenda, that’s so funny! My mom did that in high school too. Sarvi, I think the unfortunate answer is that uniforms don’t fit well and you are in fact spoiled. :) I’m only dealing with boy uniforms so far, but I’ve talked to the moms of girls about it and there are many complaints for sure. Other than hemming and growth tucks, I’m not sure there’s much to be done about it. You might be able to take in side seams too, if that would help. As long as she has freedom of movement in them, it will be fine. The goal of uniforms is not to look pretty really, it’s to look neat and tidy and studious.

Our girls wear plaid jumpers, so I can’t do much about that, but underneath they just need a white Peter Pan collared shirt. I plan to get pure cotton ones for her when the time comes, which I hope will counteract the awful uniform fabric.

Having just ironed 10 pairs of uniform shorts and 10 shirts, I happen to think the zero care thing sounds not so bad.

I had a tip on the zero care thing regarding our shirts the other week. Take them out of the machine and hange them up on a hanger wet in order to dry wrinkle freee. It works but I would rather the dryer of a morning if we are short of a uniform that day. I have only purchased two dresses for my daughter and she has more skirts and tops (which is also the high school uniform) so if she chooses to wear the dresses day in day out then it is a case of wash one while wearing the other. I am going to be sneaky and make N’s winter trousers for next winter – they will never notice!